This invention relates generally to fitted sheets and, more particularly, to a fitted sheets and integrated holding apparatus that includes four corner sections that may be selectively tightened about respective corner sections of a mattress and selectively coupled to box springs of a traditional bed set or to the base of an adjustable bed.
Tossing, turning, or repeatedly rolling over while sleeping in a bed often results in undesirable shifting of a fitted sheet on a mattress. For instance, one corner of a fitted sheet may shift or become dislodged so as to expose the mattress itself or to become uncomfortably tangled under a person sleeping on the mattress. This is especially a problem for sheets fitted to an adjustable angle bed. When either the upper or lower segments are angled (or both), the center portion of the fitted sheet tends to come loose and can lead to the problems discussed above.
Most fitted sheets are characterized by having an elastic material sewn into the edges of the sheet to draw the sheet together underneath edges of the mattress. Further, this type of sheet would have elastic in the perimeter edges that define corner sections so as to more securely grip corners of the mattress. Other devices and configurations have been introduced in the prior art in attempts to more securely attach a fitted sheet to a mattress, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,470; U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,904; U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,124 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,593. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing sheet designs do not have structures by which the corner sections may be tightened after the sheet is spread out on a mattress and by which the center edges of the sheet may be coupled to a box springs unit. In addition, sheets having elastic edges and corners have the distinct disadvantage of not laying flat for storage purposes.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a fitted sheet having an integrated holding apparatus that enables a user to tighten each corner section around a respective corner of a mattress. Further, it would be desirable to have a fitted sheet having an integrated holding apparatus that is selectively coupled to the box spring unit of a mattress/box spring set so as to securely maintain the sheet in an appropriate position on the mattress. In addition, it would be desirable to have a fitted sheet having an integrated holding apparatus that folds flat for storage when removed from the mattress.